This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Conventionally, reclining articles of furniture (i.e., chairs, sofas, loveseats, and the like), referred to hereinafter generally as reclining chairs, utilize a mechanism to bias a leg rest assembly in extended and stowed positions and separate components to allow a back seat member to recline with respect to a seat base. Occupant head rest support is commonly provided by one or more cushion members that abut with or are extensions of further cushion members acting as occupant back rest support members. The head rest support is commonly joined at its ends to vertically oriented backrest side support arms which are in turn rotatably connected to a furniture member chair frame.
Because head rest support is substantially fixed to the back seat member, as the back seat member rotates the head rest cushion(s) will commonly remain in a fixed orientation with respect to the seat back member. This can result in uncomfortable head rest support positions for the different rotated positions of the seat back. For example, with the seat back member rotated to a fully reclined position, the head rest may be rotated too far backward for comfortable viewing of a television or monitor. Also, with the seat back member rotated to a fully upright position, the head rest may be rotated too far forward for the comfort level desired by the occupant. The above head rest support systems are not adjustable by the occupant, and therefore can result in discomfort in either the fully reclined or fully upright positions, or in the leg rest extended position for different occupants.
Mechanical systems are therefore known which permit the headrest to be rotated by manual operation of a lever or link to provide multiple headrest adjustment positions. These systems may not provide for infinite adjustment of the headrest and may be difficult to operate by some occupants of the chair. Power actuated headrest designs are also known, however known power actuated headrest designs do not permit the power actuator to be completely released during headrest return travel should the headrest encounter an object blocking its return path.